This invention relates to an engine preheater for use with an internal combustion liquid cooled engines (diesel or gasoline), more specifically to engine preheaters which use the engine coolant to perform an engine preheating function.
Internal combustion engines can be extremely difficult to start in cold weather, particularly the diesel type internal combustion engine. The problem of cold weather starting has often necessitated the relocation of vehicles, for example, a forestry or construction vehicle, many miles to seek shelter from extremely cold weather when not in use for long periods of time. Often a diesel type engine is allowed to idle for substantial amounts of time to avoid the problem of cold weather starting.
Several methods have been devised to assist in cold weather starting of engines. One method is to equip the engine with an electric coolant heater to preheat the engine, however, it is necessary to maintain the vehicle at a location where external energy can be provided when the engine is not in use, which can be a severe limitation with respect to forestry or construction vehicles. A second method most utilized in conjunction with diesel type engines is to inject ethyl ether into the engine when attempting to start the engine. The use of ethyl ether to assist in vehicle starting is not always successful. Also, the repeated use of ethyl ether can have dilatorious affects on the engine.
Another method of assisting in cold weather engine starting is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,765,389 (Henchel). This patent discloses an apparatus in which atomized diesel fuel is force-injected into a combustion chamber and ignited to raise the temperature of engine coolant. The engine coolant thereafter being used to preheat the engine. The apparatus disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,765,383, however, requires a not insubstantial amount of continuous electrical power presumably when used in conjunction with a vehicle from the vehicle battery. Noting that in cold temperatures, a vehicle battery has a reduced charge-storage capacity, the apparatus described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,765,383 by drawing power from the battery continuously, may result in insufficient remaining battery charge to start the engine. Further, the apparatus described in U.S. Pat. No 3,765,389 is relatively complicated to construct which could represent a rather high cost factor.
The present invention discloses an apparatus to assist in engine cold weather starting to avoid the disadvantages of the aforementioned methods and apparatus.